American Empress: The Life and Times of Marjorie Merriweather Post

American Empress is a sweeping history of the dramatic life of heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, daughter of breakfast-cereal magnate C. W. Post. As a young girl growing up in the Midwest, Marjorie Post helped glue cereal boxes in her father's barn, later became a board member of his company, wed a diplomat and by late middle age was widely acknowledged as the unofficial "Queen of Washington, D.C." The glamorous and warm-hearted Mrs. Post was also mother to actress Dina Merrill. Throughout her life, she gave generously to hundreds of civic, artistic and philanthropic causes, among which were the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Ballet and the Kennedy Center. By virtue of her brains, beauty and great wealth, Mrs. Post was a woman well ahead of her era, whose natural business acumen created the frozen foods industry and transformed the Postum Cereal Company into the General Foods Corporation.

LibraryThing Review

A very informative, well-written biography of a fascinating lady. Also, a wonderful narrative of US history from the late 1800s through much of the 20th century.Read full review

AMERICAN EMPRESS: The Life and Times of Marjorie Merriweather Post

User Review - Kirkus

Heiress Marjorie Post was many things during her long life, but ``empress'' seems an overstatement. Post was one of the wealthiest women in the United States, but her life as described by journalist ...Read full review

About the author (2004)

Nancy Rubin is a best-selling author and journalist who often writes about women and social history. Her previous books are The New Suburban Woman, The Mother Mirror and Isabella of Castile,for which she won the 1992 Author of the Year Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors.